Stalking Charge Filed Against Man, 34

Suspect Accused Of Following Teenager

EAST HARTFORD — A 34-year-old Wethersfield man was charged Tuesday with stalking a teenager on several occasions in the past year as the youth walked to school, police said.

Gregory White of 220 Amherst St. is accused of following the 14-year-old in a car as the teen walked along Park Avenue and other nearby streets, Officer Jodi Boebert said in an arrest warrant affidavit.

White would ask the teen questions, such as where he lived, whether he wanted a ride, and whether he ``wanted to get together sometime,'' Boebert said.

In August, officers were called to the teenager's house after White showed up there seeking to talk to the youth. A search of his gray mid-sized car turned up three bottles of liquor and a sexual-aid device for men.

White told police that ``all he wanted was to be [the teenager's] friend,'' Boebert said. He also admitted that he got the youth's telephone number out of the telephone book and called him at least three times.

White was charged on a warrant Tuesday with first-degree stalking, a felony. Police set bail at $25,000, and White was arraigned Tuesday in Manchester Superior Court, where Judge Christina Dunnell released him on a written promise to return Dec. 15.

The judge also ordered him to have no contact with minors who are not related to him.

The teenager's mother had first complained to police about White in October 1993, after her son was followed as he walked to school. An officer was assigned to monitor the youth the next two days, and White was not spotted.

No other complaints were filed until August, when the teen's father called police to report that White had telephoned asking to meet the teenager at the youth's house.

The father agreed to the meeting so he could confront White, and then called police. After speaking with White and searching his car, police asked him to leave.

Boebert then did a follow-up investigation and obtained the arrest warrant. She said that the teenager never told White to leave him alone because he was afraid of him and wanted the police to handle the situation.

``He stated he was in fear because Gregory always knew where he was and he did not know what he would do to him,'' Boebert said in the affidavit.